Friday, November 16, 2012

How to BE Mentored (Part 3)

This is the last post of my ramblings on How to Be Mentored. I am so incredibly grateful for the people who have invested in my life. Some of those have been very intentional and others have mentored me in passing but regardless of the intention, I appreciate the opportunity to learn from those who have gone before me. Okay so just a few more bullet points on how we can be better at following well...

1. Give them permission - Sometimes people don't know that they have permission to speak into your life and you need to verbally tell them that you want them to have a voice in your life. This often requires humility on our end. For me, this usually comes in the form of asking them good questions which is the next point.

2. Ask good questions - This will keep you from talking the whole time. Some of my favorite questions:
-As a young leader, what do I need to be valuing most?
-What were the most transformational moments in your life?
-How have you found ways to redeem your competitive strength?
-Is there anything you do to intentionally lead yourself well?
-How do you make sure your not sacrificing your own growth for the growth of the team?
-What books have been most transformational for you?
-What advice do you wish someone would have given you when you were a 20something?

3. Crave a word from God more than you crave a word from your mentor - I love what Heather Zempel says, "The people whose voices are loudest in my life need to be the ones most impacted by the voice of the Holy Spirit." But with that said, don't get so caught up in listening to the voices around you that you don't take time to listen to the voice of God for yourself.

4. Be a mentor - This is what it's all about. I am pretty confident that the more you invest in other people, the more people will invest in you. Capture what you're learning, make it your own, then pass it on.